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CFL on U.S. TV?

N

Nate Wesley

Seeing highlights on SportsCenter, I wonder what other posters might think about airing Canadian Football League games on U.S. television.

I know you can see the games on America One (the LPTV network) and spread throughout regional sports channels, but what about airing the games here in the states on one single national network, even a cable/satellite channel? Probably not the NFL Network (duh), but what about ESPN2, Fox Sports Net, or even SpikeTV?

Maybe it's just me, but my TV sports viewing habits have pretty much bottomed out since the end of the NBA Finals, and I just can't get into baseball games until they mean something (Wild Card, NLCS, ALCS, the Series).

I'd love to watch the Canadian brand of football to tide me over until the NCAA and NFL starts back. Thoughts? <P ID="signature">______________
There's nothing to see here.</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by TheX on 07/18/05 06:06 AM.</FONT></P>
 
CFL? The Copycat Football League? No thanks! 100 yards and 4 downs for me!
 
> Seeing highlights on SportsCenter, I wonder what other
> posters might think about airing Canadian Football League
> games on U.S. television. (snip!)
>
> I'd love to watch the Canadian brand of football to tide me
> over until the NCAA and NFL starts back. Thoughts?

Unfortunately, it appears the CFL just isn't marketable in the U.S. Not that they haven't tried - U.S. teams back in the 90s, for instance. It just didn't work here.

So, unless you live close to the 49th Parallel or are fortunate enough to get A1TV (or an affiliate), you're stuck with the internet feeds from the CFL.

BTW: I really don't like seeing football fields all gussied up with logos. The playing field should be kept somewhat clean.
 
> I'd love to watch the Canadian brand of football to tide me
> over until the NCAA and NFL starts back. Thoughts?
>

Joe_Capitano is right. They've tried before and didn't cut it.

Not only were there CFL teams in the US in the mid-90's, but they also tried broadcasting CFL games in the US in the mid-70's IIRC, again without success.

DirecTV and Dish Network carry the CFL.

Full listing of CFL in the US: http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=404
 
The digital FSN channels (now Fox College Sports) would occasionally carry a weekend CFL game a couple of years ago, but that has been dropped. I really wonder if it wouldn't do better for them than reruns of old college games, which is all the channels have on during the summer.
 
> The digital FSN channels (now Fox College Sports) would
> occasionally carry a weekend CFL game a couple of years ago,
> but that has been dropped. I really wonder if it wouldn't do
> better for them than reruns of old college games, which is
> all the channels have on during the summer.
>

I've seen recent games on MSG. They might be Fox-affiliated feeds but you can get them in the US.

Hughes or Mizlou or someone had a CFL package in the mid-70's
 
Several of the non FSN Regional networks (MSG, Comcast Sports Net, etc.) air a full dose of CFL games.

> > The digital FSN channels (now Fox College Sports) would
> > occasionally carry a weekend CFL game a couple of years
> ago,
> > but that has been dropped. I really wonder if it wouldn't
> do
> > better for them than reruns of old college games, which is
>
> > all the channels have on during the summer.
> >
>
> I've seen recent games on MSG. They might be Fox-affiliated
> feeds but you can get them in the US.
>
> Hughes or Mizlou or someone had a CFL package in the
> mid-70's
>
 
> Several of the non FSN Regional networks (MSG, Comcast
> Sports Net, etc.) air a full dose of CFL games.


Yep, you can add NESN (New England Sports Network) to that list.
 
> > Several of the non FSN Regional networks (MSG, Comcast
> > Sports Net, etc.) air a full dose of CFL games.
>
>
> Yep, you can add NESN (New England Sports Network) to that
> list.
>
But on a broadcast network? Forget it. NBC tried it in 1954,
when ABC first got the rights to NCAA games; then again in 1982,
during an NFL players' strike. There was that syndicated package
(Mizlou, I think) in 1972, that was canceled before the end of
the Canadian football season. And how did CFL teams located in
the U.S. do? The differences in the rules don't help American
fans, either.
 
> > > And how did CFL teams located
> in
> the U.S. do? The differences in the rules don't help
> American
> fans, either.
>

One of the U.S. CFL teams was the Baltimore club, which was going to be called the CFL Colts until the NFL took umbrance. So they became for 1994 "Baltimore CFL Football" and lost the Grey Cup final (I forget to whom). In 1995 they became the "Baltimore Football Club" for about 5 minutes and them the Baltimore Stallions. As the Stallions, the team won the 1995 Grey Cup (I forget who they beat), then moved to Montreal as the Alouettes (a resurrected name) when the Cleveland Browns of the NFL became the Baltimore Ravens for 1996. (Correct me if I'm wrong about any of the above.)

ixnay
 
> BTW: I really don't like seeing football fields all gussied
> up with logos. The playing field should be kept somewhat
> clean.
>

1- I hate the CFL.
2- As for the logos, I agree 100%. Notice how the NFL only allows the home team's logo and/or the NFL sheild during regular season games?

A prime example of logo overkill has got to be the NHL and, to a lesser extent, the American Hockey League (AHL), which features cities like Hartford.
 
So they became for 1994 "Baltimore CFL Football"
> and lost the Grey Cup final (I forget to whom).

FWTIW: They lost to B.C.


In 1995
> they became the "Baltimore Football Club" for about 5
> minutes and them the Baltimore Stallions. As the Stallions,
> the team won the 1995 Grey Cup (I forget who they beat..

They beat Calgary.
 
> So they became for 1994 "Baltimore CFL Football"
> > and lost the Grey Cup final (I forget to whom).
>
> FWTIW: They lost to B.C.
>
>
> In 1995
> > they became the "Baltimore Football Club" for about 5
> > minutes and them the Baltimore Stallions. As the
> Stallions,
> > the team won the 1995 Grey Cup (I forget who they beat..
>
> They beat Calgary.
>

Were they ever officially the Stallions? I remember them simply being called F. C. Baltimore when they won the Cup, and that was their last game in the US.

Of course, their expansion plan might have worked had they not given Birmingham a team.

We had the Vulcans in the WFL -- league goes splat.
We had the Stallions in the USFL -- league goes splat.
We had the Fire in the WLAF -- the team moved to the football hotbed of Dusseldorf, Germany
We had the Barracudas in the CFL -- league retreats from America with tail between legs.
We had the Bolts in the XFL -- league goes splat.

However, Birmingham didn't have teams in the AAFC or AFL, and those leagues lasted at least long enough to merge with the NFL.
 
> The digital FSN channels (now Fox College Sports) would
> occasionally carry a weekend CFL game a couple of years ago,
> but that has been dropped.

I've noticed some CFL games on the FCS Atlantic schedule the past few weeks, so they are still carrying the league.
 
> The digital FSN channels (now Fox College Sports) would
> occasionally carry a weekend CFL game a couple of years ago,
> but that has been dropped. I really wonder if it wouldn't do
> better for them than reruns of old college games, which is
> all the channels have on during the summer.
>

I watched both the CBC feed of the Ottawa game Saturday, and last nights Saskatechwan-Hamilton tilt on FCS.

I"m greatful they do carry at least some games, as AmericaOne insisted on carrying their own pre game, half time and post game shows from some US based ware house.

It was worse than any local cable access show I ever witnessed....Horrible.
 
> Seeing highlights on SportsCenter, I wonder what other
> posters might think about airing Canadian Football League
> games on U.S. television.
>
> I know you can see the games on America One (the LPTV
> network) and spread throughout regional sports channels, but
> what about airing the games here in the states on one single
> national network, even a cable/satellite channel? Probably
> not the NFL Network (duh), but what about ESPN2, Fox Sports
> Net, or even SpikeTV?
>
> Maybe it's just me, but my TV sports viewing habits have
> pretty much bottomed out since the end of the NBA Finals,
> and I just can't get into baseball games until they mean
> something (Wild Card, NLCS, ALCS, the Series).
>
> I'd love to watch the Canadian brand of football to tide me
> over until the NCAA and NFL starts back. Thoughts?
>

They had aired a game on MSG in New York. I forget the teams.
 
> > Seeing highlights on SportsCenter, I wonder what other
> > posters might think about airing Canadian Football League
> > games on U.S. television. (snip!)
> >
> > I'd love to watch the Canadian brand of football to tide
> me
> > over until the NCAA and NFL starts back. Thoughts?
>
> Unfortunately, it appears the CFL just isn't marketable in
> the U.S. Not that they haven't tried - U.S. teams back in
> the 90s, for instance. It just didn't work here.

But the way I understand it (trusting some websites found on an internet search), the CFL's try with U.S. teams didn't include a U.S. broadcast partner at all, much less one with mostly LPTV affiliates.

I still say it's worth a try airing the games here in the states, even if tape delayed. <P ID="signature">______________
There's nothing to see here.</P>
 
> But on a broadcast network? Forget it. NBC tried it in
> 1954,
> when ABC first got the rights to NCAA games; then again in
> 1982,
> during an NFL players' strike. There was that syndicated
> package
> (Mizlou, I think) in 1972, that was canceled before the end
> of
> the Canadian football season. And how did CFL teams located
> in
> the U.S. do? The differences in the rules don't help
> American
> fans, either.
>
I wouldn't be surprised at any of the broadcast nets (even The WB, UPN, or Pax/i) turning it down. I could even see ESPN being uninterested.

But for the cost in running the games on tape delay, I don't see how ESPN2, FSN, SpikeTV, USA, or any cable net seeking male demos couldn't risk seeing how many viewers CFL games might attract. <P ID="signature">______________
There's nothing to see here.</P>
 
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